Chapter 265: You’ll Know In The Future
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Yuan Jiaqi returned home on time when Chuan’er was happily munching on a pile of food.
“Dad, why are you back at this time?”
“How did the exam go?”
“Becoming a Recommended Scholar should be fine.”
“Still eating? You’ve turned into a pig.”
“Mother said I’ve lost weight these days and told me to eat well.”
“Did anything happen at home while I was away?”
“Why ask me? It’s better to ask Great Grandmother. I haven’t paid attention to anything outside for the past few days because of the exam.”
So Yuan Jiaqi went to visit Old Mistress Wang, both to greet her and to inquire about the situation at home.
Naturally, Old Mistress Wang didn’t hide anything from him and briefed him on the recent events. Yuan Jiaqi wiped the sweat from his forehead. “My wife is quite formidable. She dared to offend the Duke’s household.”
“You shouldn’t worry about this matter. Focus on cultivating the wheat well and get a promotion quickly. Otherwise, when Yunfeng gets married, people will ridicule our daughter-in-law’s family. This is all about social status. Now that you have your wife’s support, work hard to cultivate the wheat and gain the Emperor’s recognition as soon as possible.”
“I’ll do my best.’
Meanwhile, Qiao Mai was in the martial arts field. She was in a good mood today. She was playing with a spear, and Yuan Jiaqi watched her from a distance.
He didn’t disturb her and just watched. Qiao Mai had already noticed him. She put down her spear and waved at him.
“When did you get back?”
Yuan Jiaqi handed her a cup of tea and said, “I just got home.”
“Have you seen Chuan’er?”
“Yes, it’s been hard on you at home. With such a big event happening, you didn’t even tell me.”
“If I told you, it would only make you worry.”
“This time, you contributed the new wheat to the court. The credit is yours.”
“We are a couple; what’s yours is mine. Besides, as a woman, what would I do with that credit? As long as you’re well, our whole family will be fine.”
“Thank you.”
Qiao Mai took a few sips of tea, and the two sat in the backyard.
“Wife, I think some of those pine trees seem ready to be harvested for oil.”
“Then arrange for people to harvest it. Didn’t we already teach them the technique?”
“Yes, I’ll make arrangements when I return. What should we do with the harvested oil?”
Qiao Mai took two pieces of paper from her sleeve and handed them to him. “These are two recipes. You can have people follow the instructions to make these.”
Yuan Jiaqi took a glance. “Safflower oil?”
“Yes, pine oil has anti-inflammatory and pain-relief properties. Combined with medicinal herbs, it can make safflower oil, which is highly effective for skin injuries and bruises.”
“This recipe is good. We can have it sold in a pharmacy. What about the other
“Shampoo. Follow the instructions, and you’ll get an effective hair wash and conditioner. Pine oil can also be used as a varnish, commonly used by carpenters. ”
“Great. We can have the shampoo sold in the general store and the varnish in the carpentry shop. I’ll have someone inquire about the prices.”
“Do you have enough manpower?”
“Yes, I’ve trained them in advance. One of them is your cousin’s husband.” “Liu Mei’s husband?”
“Yes. I’ll start by making him a foreman, and once he’s familiar with the work, we’ll see.”
“I’ll make it clear: our brothers shouldn’t be given too much responsibility.”
“I understand, wife. Their characters don’t make them suitable for important roles.”
“I don’t want you to forget your past while you climb the ranks. People say to look to the future, but you can’t forget your past experiences and lessons.”
“Don’t worry, wife. I won’t forget my past.”
Yuan Jiaqi stayed home for two days. Whenever he was back, he would follow Qiao Mai around. Princess Mu also met her future father-in-law for the first time.
“Wow, my father-in-law is so young and handsome. My mother-in-law is lucky.”
Her maidservant quickly explained, “Princess, Lord Yuan is only thirty this year. I heard many young ladies are pursuing him, but your future father-in-law only has eyes for Madam Qiao.”
“It’s a must. My mother-in-law is so formidable. If he dares to look elsewhere, she will tear him to shreds.”
“Has Sir Yunfeng returned yet?”
“He’s at odds with me. We agreed I would wait for him in the capital for the exam.”
“Isn’t it because you couldn’t keep a secret, which led to your dad and mom finding out about it?”
“Sigh, I’m grateful now that my mother-in-law is so capable. Otherwise, my mother would be uncontrollable.”
At this time, Yunfeng and his brother were resting in the Bichun Garden, and Old Master Wang was feeding the white sheep fresh green grass.
Yesterday, the Duke invited him to the mansion, and he went there with
Yunfeng. It was the Lunar New Year, and the Duke even made a trip to Tianshui Town, yet he didn’t meet his future son-in-law. It was about time they met each other.
The two of them were old acquaintances, and after meeting, they had no difficulty conversing.
When he met his son-in-law, the Duke was pleased and even tested Yunfeng’s martial arts skills on the spot. He was genuinely fond of him.
Even his three sons couldn’t beat Yunfeng; they were all defeated under his hands.
If his daughter could marry him for real, he would want to recruit Yunfeng into the family.
Old Master Wang saw what he was thinking and gave him a stern look. “Duke, don’t even think about it. With Madam Qiao in charge, who dares to have any ideas about her son? She’ll eat you up.”
The Duke forced a wry smile. “I’ve seen it. I’m afraid of her. She threatens to exterminate my whole family at every turn, and she’s the only one who dares to say such things.”
“That’s because you started it with her first, sending men to assassinate
Yunfeng. If she says such things, it’s just tit for tat.”
“Yes, it was my wife in the wrong.”
“Your daughter is also too willful, getting involved with someone’s son for a few things. ”
The Duke grimaced. “It’s true; my family spoiled her. Now, how is she doing?” “Don’t worry. She’s doing well and is obedient. She eats and drinks well every day.”
“Someone should humble her.”
“Under Madam Qiao’s guidance, she’s as obedient as a lamb. How is your wife?”
“She’s still the same, unable to move, but Madam Qiao said she’ll be fine in a year. I believe her.”
Old Master Wang couldn’t help but whispered, “With a marriage alliance with the Qiao family, your family won’t suffer any losses. Trust me.”
The Duke’s mind quickly grasped the implications. “Is that so?”
“Otherwise, why would my wife and I be so eager to stay at her place? My words can only go this far, but in the future, you’ll understand.”
“Her?”
“You’ll have to read between the lines.”
At noon, the Duke treated them to a meal. Even the Old Duke and Duchess attended.
They had come specifically to meet their future grandson-in-law. When they saw him in person, they were highly satisfied.
On the day the examination results were announced, the Mu family sent people to check the list. The brothers performed exceptionally well. Feng’er ranked fifth, and Yun’er ranked ninth, which was still quite impressive.
Seeing that his future son-in-law had achieved the fifth position, the Duke was overjoyed and immediately sent a gift to the Qiao family.
Old Master Wang finally smiled and stroked his beard. The marriage between the Duke and the Qiao family had become more promising. As long as the Duke liked this son-in-law, there shouldn’t be a problem.
On the fifteenth of April, Old Master Wang took the twins to the Duke’s house to say goodbye. The Duke prepared two carriages filled with gifts.
The gifts were not for them but for Madam Qiao in the hope of mending relations between the two families.
On the other side, Chuan’er’s results have also been released. In the Qiao family, they now had a high-ranking official, two Recommended Scholars, and one who had passed the provincial examination. This caused quite a sensation.
Now, people related to the Qiao family got restless and couldn’t sit still. They could see that the Qiao family was on the rise and wanted to bask in their glory.
Particularly the matchmakers, who nearly trampled the Qiao family’s door into the ground.
Qiao Mai was unwavering, holding the belief that her child would have a bright future. Regardless of whether her son was sixteen or twenty-six, he could still marry a good girl.
Haven’t you seen those old men with three or four wives? They could still marry young girls. Moreover, her sons were only sixteen years old.
In Qiao Mai’s view, they were still children. It was too early to get involved in love and relationships for young boys like them..
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